The chocolate Trinidad scorpion pepper (Capsicum chinense) is a superhot brownish-red pepper native to Moruga, Trinidad and Tobago. It has 1,200,000-2,000,000 SHUs and can be used for various sauces and marinades if you like super-hot foods.
What Is A Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion Pepper?
The Chocolate Trinidad scorpion pepper is a super-hot chili pepper that is a variant of the Trinidad Moruga scorpion pepper that originated in Moruga, Trinidad and Tobago.
It was introduced to the US in 2011 when two Australians, Neil Smith (The Hippy Seed Company) and Marcel de Wit (The Chilli Factory), obtained the seeds from Butch Taylor.
The chilies are wrinkled and have a pointy tail resembling a scorpion’s stinger. They’re dark red to dark brown when ripe.
The size ranges from one to two inches (2.54 to about 5 cm). This hot pepper has a fruity and earthy flavor, milder than other Trinidad Moruga scorpions.
How Hot Is A Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion?
Despite the fruity taste, the heat level of chocolate Trinidad scorpion peppers is still extreme, with 1,200,000-2,000,000 SHUs.
For comparison, red jalapenos have only 2,500-8,000 Scoville heat units. Well-known ghost peppers have 855,000-1,041,000 SHUs.
Is The Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion Pepper The Hottest Pepper In The World?
Although the chocolate Trinidad scorpion pepper is a superhot pepper, the Carolina reaper still holds the Guinness title for the world’s hottest pepper. It averages at 1.6M-2.2M SHUs.
Interestingly, another subvariety of the Trinidad scorpion family, the Trinidad Butch T scorpion, ranked as the hottest pepper in the world in 2011 at 1,000,000 – 1,463,700 SHUs before being dethroned by the reaper.
What’s The Difference Between A Chocolate Scorpion Pepper And Other Scorpion Peppers?
Like habaneros and chocolate habaneros, the chocolate Trinidad Moruga scorpion tastes different from other scorpion peppers.
This chili pepper is sweet and fruity, although still incredibly hot. Its heat also tends to hit faster instead of building with each bite. On the other hand, a dried Kraken scorpion, for instance, is fresher and smokier rather than sweet.
Here’s a list of other scorpion peppers and their flavor profiles:
- Yellow scorpion peppers (also called Trinidad scorpion yellow). These chilies have 800,000-1,000,000 SHUs and taste fruity like chocolate scorpions, but they also have a citrusy aroma and leave intense, long-lasting heat in your mouth.
- Trinidad scorpion Butch T. This hot pepper ranges from 1,000,000-1,463,700 on the Scoville scale and is “tenderly fruity” — don’t risk eating it raw, though.
- Trinidad scorpion Moruga satans. They have 1,000,000-1,800,000 SHUs and taste citrusy, particularly like grapefruit.
- Apocalypse scorpion pepper. The heat level of this chili is typically over 1,400,000 SHUs. It tastes fruity but is different from the Trinidad scorpion chocolate pepper thanks to the additional floral aroma.
- Jay’s peach ghost scorpion pepper or the peach ghost scorpion. It’s a hybrid between a ghost chili pepper (Bhut jolokia) and a Trinidad scorpion and averages around 1,000,000 SHUs. Flavor-wise, it can be compared to the apocalypse scorpion pepper, as it tastes fruity and floral but has a lower heat level.
- Caramel Trinidad scorpion Morugas. The chili has 1,200,000 SHUs on average. It has a slightly floral and fruity flavor like Chocolate Trinidad scorpion peppers but is often dried to add smokiness.
- Orange long-tailed scorpions. Starting at 1,200,000 SHUs, these are among the hottest orange hot peppers in the world. They have an intense fruity flavor and are said even to fill the room with their scent when cut open.
- The Kraken scorpion. This chili also has a heat level of 1,200,000 or more SHUs. It’s earthy and smoky with a delayed heat hit.
- Trinidad scorpion chocolate cappuccino peppers. They taste nothing like chocolate cappuccino with 1,200,000-2,000,000 SHUs, but they have a nice chocolaty color. These rare chilies are characterized by earthy sweetness and smoky aroma.
- The Ghor-Pion pepper. This rare hybrid of the ghost pepper and the Trinidad scorpion Butch T has 850,000-1,000,000 SHUs and a strong flavor with berry undertones.
- I scream scorpion peppers (ice cream scorpions). They have 200,000-500,000 SHUs and are sweet and vanilla-like but still very hot.
- The black scorpion tongue pepper. The chili has 50,000-100,000 SHUs and is sweet and salty with an apple aroma.
What is the best way to eat a Trinidad Scorpion chocolate pepper?
Chocolate Trinidad scorpion peppers are usually not eaten raw (unless for a challenge). While delicious, they still have quite a sting. Trinidad scorpion chocolate peppers can be used for:
- BBQ sauces
- Pepper powders
- Hot sauces
- Marinades
- Salsas
- Soups
Where To Buy Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion Peppers
You can order chocolate Trinidad scorpion peppers or bottled hot sauces with these peppers online. Check your local produce market if you want to make homemade sauces with fresh or dried peppers.
Chocolate Trinidad scorpion pepper seeds and pepper plants are also available online, usually for $10 or less.
Can You Grow Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion Pepper?
You can grow chocolate Trinidad scorpion peppers from seeds fairly easily.
First, germinate the seeds by putting them in a plastic container between two damp paper towels. Remember to wear latex gloves while handling the seeds.
Chocolate Trinidad scorpions need bright light for up to 12 hours per day, so keep the container on a window sill. Ensure the seeds have enough water daily, and expect them to sprout in one to three weeks.
Next, plant the sprouting seeds in pots or Styrofoam cups. Don’t fill these with soil completely; you’ll need to add more to cover the seeds and add water. The ideal seed depth is a quarter of an inch (0.63 cm). You can use a seed-starting mix or your garden soil.
Finally, plant the sprouts outside at least 16 inches (40.6 cm) apart in a sunny spot. It usually takes about 90 days from germination to get fully grown, harvestable peppers.
Substitutes For Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion Pepper
If you like spicy dishes but chocolate Trinidad scorpion peppers are too much for you, you can try other chilies, such as the ghost pepper (bhut jolokia).
Ghost peppers have a sweet, fruity flavor but have only about 1,000,000 SHUs. Habaneros are also fruity and sweet with a floral note and range from 100,000-350,000 SHUs.